Pat Condon is far from the new guy at Lincoln’s Hall of Justice, where he’s been a deputy Lancaster County attorney since 1990. Thursday, he quietly was sworn in as the county’s new top prosecutor, filling the spot left when the U.S. Senate confirmed Joe Kelly as U.S. Attorney for Nebraska.

The Judiciary Committee on Tuesday sent a package of bills to the full Legislature that are aimed at providing relief from prison crowding and reentry into communities for inmates.

The main bill (LB841), introduced by Lincoln Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks, would require the Department of Correctional Services to work with the Parole Board on policies and procedures to manage an overcrowding emergency, if one is declared or determined to exist. Read More.

Pat Condon announced Monday that he will run to be the next Lancaster County attorney.

Condon has 28 years experience in the office and for the past seven has been chief deputy to County Attorney Joe Kelly, a fellow Republican who has been nominated to be U.S. attorney for Nebraska and is awaiting confirmation.

Condon has handled criminal cases ranging from homicides and sexual assaults to child abuse and drug cases. As chief deputy, he’s maintained a full caseload, taking a majority of the office’s post-conviction cases, assigning cases and assisting with the budgeting process, “helping to maintain efficiencies in the office and a fiscally conservative approach to keeping Lancaster County safe, while maintaining the high standards Lancaster County voters have come to expect from the office.” Read More

Prosecutors and defense attorneys said Friday the “yes means yes” sexual affirmative consent bill was written in a way that is too confusing.

“It’s difficult for us as prosecutors to understand the language within this bill, let alone communicate that to jurors who need to understand what elements we have to prove … beyond a reasonable doubt,” said Molly Keane, representing the Nebraska County Attorneys Association.

Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine told the committee that tough, longer sentences haven’t caused Nebraska’s prison overcrowding, but “the person who sticks a gun in someone’s face or rapes a woman in her own home or tries to strangle someone.”

Under the one-third rule, which was dropped three decades ago, judges must issue minimum prison sentences for criminal offenses that are no longer than one-third of the maximum sentence. Under the rule, someone sentenced for a crime that carried a 50-year maximum sentence would get a minimum sentence of no more than 162⁄3 years. The minimum sentence determines when an inmate is eligible for release on parole, so a shorter minimum sentence results in a quicker release from prison, according to prosecutors. Read More.

Children questioned as witnesses in criminal court cases would be given additional consideration under a bill discussed by lawmakers Jan. 23 and 25.

Sen. Sue Crawford

Under LB589, introduced by Bellevue Sen. Sue Crawford, no deposition of a child would be granted if a video-recorded forensic interview already has been conducted by an accredited child advocacy center, unless the deposition would aid in the disclosure of evidence vital to a defendant’s case.

Crawford said the bill is the next step in the process to protect victims of sexual abuse, trafficking and molestation, while also preserving the due process rights of the accused.

“A child is more susceptible to traumatic revictimization, especially if a deposition is conducted several months after the forensic interview,” she said. “It is critical we take action to prevent the revictimization of vulnerable children.”